History Main / ExcellentAdventure

-> ''"Fourscore and... (looks at his pocket watch) seven minutes ago... we, your forefathers, were brought forth upon a most [[TropeNamer excellent adventure]] conceived by our new friends, Bill... and Ted. These two great gentlemen are dedicated to a proposition which was true in my time, just as it's true today. Be excellent to each other. And... ''party on, dudes!"''''
-->--'''Abraham Lincoln''', ''[[Film/BillAndTed Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure]]''

Doing your history homework the exciting way!

This is a stock episode plot of having one of your protagonists learn their history by actually going back in time and experiencing it. If available the characters will use magical or sci-fi methods to travel back in time. Other times it's AllJustADream or a hallucination caused by a bump in the head. Bonus points if someone quotes the saying, "If you don't learn from the past, you'll be doomed to repeat it."

If the character is not researching history it can be used to deliver AnAesop.

Compare to WaybackTrip, where the history seems to be a little… ''off'', and the characters have to fix it. (Though there's naturally a continuum from this trope to that one; the main difference is whether or not the characters need to fix anything.) Compare also to AdventuresInTheBible where the history the characters enter is as told by the scriptures of a religion or by a work of ancient literature.

The title is a reference to ''[[Film/BillAndTed Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure]]''.
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!!Examples

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Entire Series]]

[[AC: {{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
* ''Superbook'', an anime where the protagonists go back in time to experience the events of the Bible.

[[AC: {{Film}}]]
* ''[[Film/BillAndTed Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure]]'': as Abe Lincoln mentions in the page quote, the duo harvest various historical figures with their time machine and bring them in for their history report.
* ''Split Infinity'' has a teenage girl going back in time, and [[MentalTimeTravel becoming her deceased relative]] -- while learning about how TheGreatDepression was started.

[[AC: {{Literature}}]]
* ''Literature/TheMagicTreeHouse'' series of children's novels, in which a young boy and girl discover a magical tree house filled with books, and if they sit in the tree house, point at one of the pictures, and wish they are in the place pictured, the tree house magically teleports them there. Using the tree house they visit places all over the world, in the past, and on the moon.
* Creator/ConnieWillis' time travel series, ''Literature/FireWatch'', ''Literature/DoomsdayBook'', ''Literature/ToSayNothingOfTheDog'', and ''Literature/{{Blackout}}[=/=]Literature/AllClear''.
* Literature/{{Timeline}}

[[AC: LiveActionTV]]
* ''WhereInTimeIsCarmenSandiego''
** Later, there was one called "Where in America's Past is Carmen Sandiego", which focuses on a specific part of history.

[[AC: {{Music}}]]
* {{Ayreon}}'s double album ''Universal Migrator'': the last human, living on Mars, uses ImportedAlienPhlebotinum to relive past lives, going all the way back to just before the big bang.

[[AC: VideoGames]]
* ''JumpStart3rdGrade'', where the antagonist already knew the history and deliberately changed it her way, causing you to have to undo it back to normal.

[[AC: WesternAnimation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TimeSquad'' (Zero Context)
* ''WesternAnimation/TimeWarpTrio'' (Zero Context)
* ''[[RockyAndBullwinkle Peabody's Improbable History]]''
* ''U.S. of {{Archie}}'', sort of

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Has episode(s) of the trope]]

[[AC: ComicBooks]]
* Comics example: In the Golden Age, [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Batman and Robin]] would occasionally have a friend of theirs hypnotize them and send them back (or forward) in time to investigate certain events.
* Superman #293 features a teacher and students from the future travelling back in time to get firsthand experience of "Thirsty Thursday" (a day where Superman is trying to [[ItMakesSenseInContext get Metropolis to drink water]]).

* ''ComicBook/PS238'' has several students being assigned a history report, which they decide to do on the first metahuman by bringing his daughter to their time.

[[AC: {{Literature}}]]
* The Literature/TimeScout series: In order to psych Margo up and get her interested in her difficult historical research, she's given a few tours downtime. First to Victorian England, then to Ancient Rome. She makes some serious mistakes each time, but also experiences some of the joys of learning.

[[AC: LiveActionTelevision]]
* An episode of ''Series/HappyDays'' had Fonzie inexplicably being an American history expert and helping one of the others with a report on the Pilgrims. Cut to the Mayflower's holds, full of the cast now singing about journeying to America.
* ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'' did it twice.
* The ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'' spinoff novel ''Salem's Tales'', did it.
* ''Series/FamilyTies'' did it in an episode where Alex P. Keaton falls asleep -- and he witnesses the Declaration of Independence. As this episode occurred around the time that Michael J. Fox (Alex's actor) was also playing Marty [=McFly=] on ''Film/BackToTheFuture'', this episode was possibly a nod to the then upcoming film. In the film, [[TheProfessor Doc Brown]] types in the date of the Declaration of Independence -- when demonstrating to Marty how his time machine works.
* Also inverted in one episode of ''Series/TheTwilightZone'', featuring a struggling TV writer who dabbles in black magic to summon Creator/WilliamShakespeare back from the dead to help him write his new show. After Shakespeare leaves in disgust after the TV execs butcher the script he wrote, the writer has another idea: a historical documentary, featuring the people who actually ''lived'' it.
* Oddly used in ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' in the PoorlyDisguisedPilot episode "Assignment: Earth." The ''Enterprise'' is apparently sent back ''on purpose'' to the 1960s to do research. This despite the many, many other TimeTravel stories in ''Franchise/StarTrek'' featuring the dangers of interfering with the timeline.

[[AC: {{Radio}}]]
* One of the main purposes of the Imagination Station on ''Radio/AdventuresInOdyssey'' -- virtual reality, but YourMindMakesItReal.

[[AC: WesternAnimation]]
* {{Inverted|Trope}} on ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents''. Instead of Timmy going back, he brought the founding fathers forward.
* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' [[SatireParodyPastiche parodied]] it on one episode where Cartman intentionally electrocuted himself with a Tivo full of the History Channel. [[InvokedTrope It worked too]].
* In the ''WesternAnimation/TennesseeTuxedoAndHisTales'' short "Tell-Tale Telegraph", Tennessee fell asleep while reading about the Civil War. He dreamed that he was protecting a Civil War fort from Indians, and had to learn the workings of a telegraph.
* An old ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' WartimeCartoon has Uncle Sam teaching Porky Pig the foundation of the USA.
* In an animated episode of ''TheTick'', a villain captures LeonardoDaVinci, BenjaminFranklin, ThomasEdison, JohannesGutenberg, and George Washington Carver. ("If I could only get my hands on those peanuts!")
** And the cavewoman who invented fire.
* ''Literature/TheMagicSchoolBus'' episode "The Busasaurus", {{in which|ATropeIsDescribed}} Ms. Frizzle et al. travel back in time 67 million years to learn about dinosaurs in person.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Note in passing]]
* In ''[[Literature/{{Discworld}} Thief of Time]]'' Susan Sto Helit (granddaughter of [[AC:[[TheGrimReaper Death]]]]) has taken the job of a teacher. Though it is never actually shown, it becomes fairly clear that part of her history lesson involves actually visiting the event.
** Not ''literal'' homework, but in ''Guards! Guards!'' the Librarian needs to know what a certain book says. Unfortunately, the reason he needs to know is that the book has been stolen. So he walks back in time (which apparently all libraries can allow), and reads it before it is stolen.
* In an early episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', the rich Mr. Burns is forced to pay a huge sum of money to the city government for dumping radioactive materials. Lisa thinks the money should be given to the public school, and [[ImagineSpot imagines a scene]] with virtual-reality helmets which show a simulation of ancient Mongolia where Genghis Khan says, "Hello, Lisa! I’m Genghis Khan. You’ll go where I go! Defile what I defile! Eat who I eat!" This scene only lasts about a minute.

[[/folder]]

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'''Examples:'''

[[AC:The entire premise of:]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TimeSquad''
* ''WesternAnimation/TimeWarpTrio''
* {{Ayreon}}'s double album ''Universal Migrator'': the last human, living on Mars, uses ImportedAlienPhlebotinum to relive past lives, going all the way back to just before the big bang.
* ''Split Infinity'' has a teenage girl going back in time, and [[MentalTimeTravel becoming her deceased relative]] - while learning about how TheGreatDepression was started.
* ''Superbook'', an anime where the protagonists go back in time to experience the events of the Bible.
* ''[[RockyAndBullwinkle Peabody's Improbable History]]''
* ''U.S. of {{Archie}}'', sort of
* ''JumpStart3rdGrade'', where the antagonist already knew the history and deliberately changed it her way, causing you to have to undo it back to normal.
* Creator/ConnieWillis' time travel series, ''Literature/FireWatch'', ''Literature/DoomsdayBook'', ''Literature/ToSayNothingOfTheDog'', and ''Literature/{{Blackout}}''[=/=]''Literature/AllClear''.

[[AC:Has episode(s) of the trope:]]
* An episode of ''Series/HappyDays'' had Fonzie inexplicably being an American history expert and helping one of the others with a report on the Pilgrims. Cut to the Mayflower's holds, full of the cast now singing about journeying to America.
* {{Inverted|Trope}} on ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents''. Instead of Timmy going back, he brought the founding fathers forward.
* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' [[SatireParodyPastiche parodied]] it on one episode where Cartman intentionally electrocuted himself with a Tivo full of the History Channel. [[InvokedTrope It worked too]].
* Comics example: In the Golden Age, [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Batman and Robin]] would occasionally have a friend of theirs hypnotize them and send them back (or forward) in time to investigate certain events.
* ''Series//BoyMeetsWorld'' did it twice.
* The ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'' spinoff novel ''Salem's Tales'', did it.
* ''Series/FamilyTies'' did it in an episode where Alex P. Keaton falls asleep - and he witnesses the Declaration of Independence. As this episode occurred around the time that Michael J. Fox (Alex's actor) was also playing Marty [=McFly=] on ''Film/BackToTheFuture'', this episode was possibly a nod to the then upcoming film. In the film, [[TheProfessor Doc Brown]] types in the date of the Declaration of Independence - when demonstrating to Marty how his time machine works.
* Also inverted in one episode of ''Series/TheTwilightZone'', featuring a struggling TV writer who dabbles in black magic to summon Creator/WilliamShakespeare back from the dead to help him write his new show. After Shakespeare leaves in disgust after the TV execs butcher the script he wrote, the writer has another idea: a historical documentary, featuring the people who actually ''lived'' it.
* In the ''TennesseeTuxedoAndHisTales'' short "Tell-Tale Telegraph", Tennessee fell asleep while reading about the Civil War. He dreamed that he was protecting a Civil War fort from Indians, and had to learn the workings of a telegraph.
* One of the main purposes of the Imagination Station on ''Radio/AdventuresInOdyssey'' -- virtual reality, but YourMindMakesItReal.
* An old ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' WartimeCartoon has Uncle Sam teaching Porky Pig the foundation of the USA.
* ''PS238'' has several students being assigned a history report, which they decide to do on the first metahuman by bringing his daughter to their time.

* In an animated episode of ''TheTick'', a villain captures LeonardoDaVinci, BenjaminFranklin, ThomasEdison, JohannesGutenberg, and George Washington Carver. ("If I could only get my hands on those peanuts!")
** And the cavewoman who invented fire.
* Oddly used in ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' in the PoorlyDisguisedPilot episode "Assignment: Earth." The ''Enterprise'' is apparently sent back ''on purpose'' to the 1960s to do research. This despite the many, many other TimeTravel stories in ''Franchise/StarTrek'' featuring the dangers of interfering with the timeline.

[[AC: Note in passing]]

* Comics example: In the Golden Age, [[{{Batman}} Batman and Robin]] would occasionally have a friend of theirs hypnotize them and send them back (or forward) in time to investigate certain events.

* {{Timeline}}

-> ''"Fourscore and...[looks at his pocket watch] seven minutes ago... we, your forefathers, were brought forth upon a most [[TropeNamer excellent adventure]] conceived by our new friends, Bill... and Ted. These two great gentlemen are dedicated to a proposition which was true in my time, just as it's true today. Be excellent to each other. And... ''party on, dudes!"''''